BEDFORD — Darin Kinser, Pleasant Run Volunteer Fire Department Chief, addressed the commissioners on the current ambulance situation that face Lawrence County residents with the future closing of Ascension St. Vincent Dunn Hospital.
“Our department goes on 285 runs a year, with 260 of those runs being medical runs,” said Kinser. “I want to know what your plans are on addressing our ambulance service that is at a critical stage.”
Kinser said on September 3 he responded to a medical call of a man suffering chest pains on State Road 158. The man’s oxygen level was dangerously low and he administered oxygen.
“I waited with the man and his family for more than an hour for an ambulance to arrive from Monroe County,” added Kinser. “You have a four to a six-minute window when a person is having a heart attack before the brain begins to die and you have minutes when a person is suffering a stroke to get them to the hospital to administer reversal drugs.”
Commission Dustin Gabhart said the commissioners have addressed the lack of ambulance availability for years.
“We have been battling this situation non-stop,” he added. “We are addressing the situation now. We are having discussions with IU Health and as far as we know Seals ambulance is staying. The ambulance services make more money doing transports from one facility to another. That is the issue. We have been looking at contracts but where is that funding going to come from to stop the ambulance services from making transport runs.”
Kinser asked if it was possible to use federal funding to secure a contract with an ambulance company.
Gabhart said if the county did sign a contract for an ambulance service and used federal funds to pay for that contract it would only be good for one year and then the county would have to come up with funding to renew the contract.
“We are working on a contingency plan if Seals ambulance leaves,” added Commissioner Wally Branham. “The problem is not only ambulance service but staffing those ambulances with EMTs and paramedics. The hospitals are having a hard time finding anyone to staff the ambulances.”
“We do take offense that some of the community is saying we don’t care,” said Commissioner President Rodney Fish. “We absolutely care and are working on this issue. We are on top of this. ER service is critical to this county.”
Gabhart says residents need to understand when to summons an ambulance.
“Many many of our calls are for non-emergency runs,” said Gabhart. “There are people calling wanting a ride to the hospital, then leave and jump in a friend’s car. They were just looking for a ride to town. When that happens it ties up an ambulance that was needed in a true emergency.”
The newly formed Shawswick Guthrie Fire Territory will provide fire protection and an ambulance service in Lawrence County and could be a possible solution.
Shawswick VFD Chief Bob Brown said the station on Sunny Acres Drive will be manned around the clock with four full-time firefighters, and an emergency medical responder or EMT.
“There have been times when we have waited for more than 45 minutes for ambulances from nearby counties to respond to residents in our coverage area,” added Chief Brown. “We are doing this because we want the best service for the residents in both Shawswick and Guthrie townships.”
Lawrence County is not alone in this problem, it is a statewide problem.
If all goes well the new ambulance service will be up and running on January 1, 2023.
“Many times our ambulances are placed on standby at the county lines to cover Monroe, Jackson, and Orange counties,” added Chief Brown.
